How it is
by mirbells
Summary: "Do you think I just go around carrying a sword because it looks pretty? I know how to use it, idiot", she hissed. Fine. Whatever. She might be sort of pretty but she was a real pain in the ass. MODERN AU


**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

It wasn't unusual for Gendry to see someone getting mugged on his way home from work. In this area it was just something you had to get used to. Which was why Gendry never had more than a few dollars stuffed in his jeans pockets, and also why he carried around a pocket knife at all times since he happened to live in this neighborhood.

It was however, very unusual to see someone refusing to appease the mugger and instead of handing their backpack over pulled out a thin, long fencing sword. It was just a little boy, shouting at the man to back off while pointing the sword to his throat. The man pulled a knife. And Gendry didn't think, he just ran.

"You leave him alone!", he shouted while pulling his own knife. The mugger looked surprised, and to be honest Gendry was as well. But he couldn't let a child get himself killed only because of stupidity. For a second the mans gaze darted back and forth between the sword and Gendry's pocket knife. Then he put his tail between his legs and ran off.

"I had him, you didn't have to play the hero.", the boy said while pulling the up the zipper of his backback, the sword already tucked inside. His voice was softer, lighter than Gendry expected and when he turned around he saw that it wasn't a boy at all. Just a very short, young woman, looking to be around fifteen years old. Her hair was cut short in almost a sloppy way, like she'd done it herself. Boy or not, it didn't make her words less infuriating.

"I'm sorry? Was I supposed to just let him kill you?", he demanded.

"Do you think I just go around carrying a sword because it looks pretty? I know how to use it, idiot", she hissed. Fine. Whatever. She might be sort of pretty but she was a real pain in the ass. He turned to leave but caught sight of her left palm.

"You're bleeding!", he exclaimed, surprised at the urgency in his voice. He was never one for the dramatics.

"Oh", was the only word out of her mouth as she looked to where he was pointing. There was a significant gash across her palm that was dripping red dropplets on the ground. "It must have happened when I grabbed Needle", she continued in a calm manner like she didn't really understand what was happening.

"Do you live nearby?", Gendry asked. She shook her head. "Come on, my place is just around the corner, we'll get you patched up", he gestured for her to follow. And follow him she did. He realised that she didn't know if he was some sort of creep or not, wanting to lure her to his appartment to do God knows what. She must be really trusting or she wasn't joking about being able to handle that sword. Somehow Gendry knew it was the latter.

"This is it", he muttered when they'd reached the third floor of a tall brick building just next to the alley where she'd been cornered. He turned the key and let her enter before he shut the door behind them. "Alright, you can wait here and I'll be right back", he told her awkwardly and headed for the bathroom, through the hall and the tiny room that was both livingroom and kitchen. It was easy to find the box of bandages in the bathroom cupboard. He grabbed a thick one that could be wrapped around her hand a couple of laps. He grabbed needle and thread as well since he had yet to check the depth of the wound.

"Alright, let's have a look", he motioned for her to give him her hand. She didn't.

"I'll just do it myself", she said dismissively, took everything he was holding with one hand and sat down on the floor like it wasn't strange to just besiege his hallway like that. She inspected the wound and grabbed the needle and thread first. Gendry silently agreed, just standing beside her, not really knowing what to do with himself. What did one do when there was a bleeding girl on the floor of your hallway? She hissed in pain and he looked down again.

"I can't sew straight.. left handed", she mumbled embarrassed with the needle in her right hand.

"I got it", he said and took the wounded hand in his left one after sitting down beside her. It was small but somehow strong, though he didn't know why he knew that. Her eyes might be hard as rocks and her voice like the steel of her sword but he could hear how fast she was breathing. He wondered if perhaps she was scared of him and raised his eyes to hers with a comforting smile on his lips. She just stared at him with her big eyes that, despite their depth gave nothing away.

When he was done she got up with quick and nimble steps.

"Thank you", she told him, like she meant it and was out the door before he could respond. He popped his head out and yelled after her. "What's your name?"

"Arry!", she called back.

"Is that a girls name?", he replied, confounded.

She stopped. Turned around.

"I'm not a girl", she told him like she'd stabb him straight through his chest if he disagreed.

"You are, though", he jested but she just turned and stalked off.

"Fare well, m'lady!" , he called after her, for some reason wanting her to stop and glare at him again. She didn't.

...

He knew she was a girl. If he knew, maybe everybody knew. Perhaps she wasn't fooling anyone with her new hideous hairdo or the bindings around her aldready small bossom. It was warm out tonight but she slept in her long winter coat with the hood pulled up, covering her face as best she could. The ground was difficult to lie on but the comfort of her newly found freedom finally lulled her off to sleep.

"Hey! You! This is a shop, not a hotel!", someone kicked her gently, but repeatedly in the knee and she sat up straight. It was dawn. The shouting came from a middle aged man who was very balled and very angry.

"Sorry", she blurted out and got to her feet.

"What's a boy doing sleeping out here on the street? Do your parents know about this?", he demanded.

She didn't know what to tell him because the answer was no. She noted that, at least he thought she was a boy. But that was of little consolation now. She tried to find som logical explanation..

"I should call the cops on you boy!", he continued when she didn't answer.

"He's with me", she turned to the familiar voice and groaned inwards. The boy from yesterday was approaching them.

"I'm sorry sir, he was meant to come to my place but then his phone died before I could tell him where I live. He only had this adress", he continued. Pretty skilled in lying herself she could hear the slight tremble in his voice but the older man didn't seem to notice.

"Don't let it happen again, Gendry", he told the boy in a strict manner. He turned and went into the shop, leaving her alone with him. She didn't know what to say, once again.

"I thought you didn't like me, and here I find you sleeping where I work", he said with that kind smile of his. When she didn't return it, it went away. "Look, if you need a place to stay a day or two, you know where I live", he said and gazed at her intently. She had to look away.

"I don't. It's fine", she responded and turned to leave him for the second time.

"I get off at five", he called behind her and she looked at him one last time, wondering what he wanted with her but somehow knowing it wasn't anything bad.

The truth though, she thought as she sat on a park bench that afternoon clutching a cup of coffe between her hands, was that she did need a place to stay. At least until she found her sister. And she didn't even know where to start looking. But that didn't mean she should show up on his door step shouting 'save me', did it? She didn't need him, didn't need anyone.

She didn't need to sleep on the ground tonight though, either.

"If you're gonna make me say thank you to come inside then forget it", she muttered to Gendry's black sneakers a few minutes past five outside his door.

"I won't", he said simply and put the key in the lock. She'd been leaning against the wall and staring at the floor for the past ten minutes and was happy to not look like a desperate idiot anymore as she stepped inside his apartment again.

"Well.. thanks anyway", she mumbled as she put her large backback down by the door.

"I have a way for you to show your grattitude", he said with a smirk. Her eyes widened and she started to reach for her backpack.

"Oh god, no! I didn't mean.. I just want you to tell me your name", he blurted out, clearly embarrassed. She visibly relaxed even though some tension still remained in her chest.

"I already told you. It's Arry", she said as though he was stupid, and she really hoped he was.

"I'm not stupid", he said like he knew what she'd been thinking. Well, what harm could it do now anyway? A lot, she answered herself. But he'd offered her a home and looking at him she knew he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. People are never what they seem, she reminded herself. But a name was just a name, he didn't need to know everthing. Finally she decided.

"It's Arya Stark", she said in a quiet voice as though she was afraid that someone might overhear.

"So, Arya.. what are you doing sleeping out on the street?", he said almost as quiet.

"I'll be sleeping out on the street tonight if you ask me that again", she countered, her voice giving nothing away.

"Fine", he exclaimed but didn't sound too beaten up about it. He actually smirked at her again. Annoying little bastard.

"What do you care anyway?", she demanded.

"Who knows really? Probably just been bored. Then you show up and since then I've been threatened with a knife, yelled at by my boss, and managed to get an actual name out of you", he said with a laugh and she ignored him, leaving him behind in the hallway to go and sit on his couch and look around. His place was small but filled with metal in different shapes that hung on the walls next to a bunch of strange modern artpieces. In one of them there was a bull in the middle of a meadow. Besides the couch there was an armchair in matching green leather. If she stood up she'd only have to take five steps to get to the kitchen that consisted of a fridge, a counter and an oven. She sat there and hoped he didn't see how much she loved it all.

She turned to look at him and caught him observing her. For some reason her heart skipped a beat.

"How old are you?", she suddenly wanted to know.

"Twenty, you?", he said.

"I'm sixteen", she answered and realised she'd just told him another truth.

"Look.. Arya," he began as he came to take the seat beside her on the couch "I don't know your story but for some reason you remind me of, well of me.. and I'd like to help. Okay?", he asked and held her gaze. Looking into his blue eyes, she thought for a moment that she was sky diving.

"Okay."

...

Gendry had learned two things about Arya that night. She was a teenage girl and she was stubborn, to put it mildly. He'd wanted her to take the bed like a proper gentleman would want. She'd said no. He'd insisted. She'd said no. He'd begged her to. She'd said no. Then she'd threatened to murder him in his sleep if he didn't shut up and go to bed. Almost tempted to see what she'd do if he did not but also very tired, he did as he was asked.

The very annoying alarm tune that he'd picked for that very reason, because it was the only one who managed to wake him in the morning rang at six o'clock and today Gendry didn't press snooze on his phone screen. He was wide awake.

He stood frozen by the door with his hand on the knob and wondered if he should alert Arya that he was coming into the livingroom (which he had to pass to get to the bathroom). He decided to let her sleep, not knowing what her temper would be like at six in the morning. As he passed by her, he stopped for a second. Her face was so relaxed and peaceful and he thought she was an idiot for thinking she could pass for a boy. One strap on her tank top had slid down her shoulder and he could see the rise of one small breast, almost make out the edge of a nipple.. Okay he had to stop now before she saw him staring at her, in nothing but boxer shorts and a t-shirt. Also, he felt like a perv.

 _At work. Home at four._

Gendry left the note on the table in front of her sleeping form. He shut the door with care, not wanting to wake her. He wondered for maybe the hundredth time since he met her who she was. Well, she was safe this morning, something she hadn't been yesterday. He had no idea how his life would have turned out if Micken hadn't taken him in as assistant at his shop when Gendry had ditched his foster home the day he turned eighteen. He had to pass the favor forward, even if it was just a place to stay for a while.

Micken noticed that his mind was somewhere else today. But Gendry did good work as always. He loved his job. It didn't matter that the pay was shit, more or less. He didn't know why it brought him such joy just to make iron hooks or chandeliers but the fact remained that it did. He was a natural Micken had told him, and maybe he was right. From the very first day, the steel had sung to him and it was the first time in his life that he ever felt like he belonged somewhere. The only time.

He put the key in the door to his apartment with a nervous tingle in his hand. It was quiet, he thought as he entered the hallway. Too quiet.

"Arya?", he called. Nothing. He did a quick look through the place, which was really just popping a head into the bedroom to his right and walking a few feet to the livingroom and opening the bathroom door. Nothing. There was no note on the table. No note anywhere. The spare key he'd shown her was still there.

She was gone.

He sat down on the couch and tried not think about the fact that this was where he'd last seen her. He hoped that she was doing alright, where ever she was. Her words echoed through his mind, _What do you care anyway?_ He tried to help her, twice. She didn't want it, twice. He shouldn't sit here moping like he'd just lost something. He didn't. He hadn't.

He heard a rattling noice and when he turned his head towards it his doorknob was moving. He got up, threw open a drawer and grabbed the biggest knife he could find.

"God, if I'd known you were going to try and kill me I wouldn't have come back", Arya said, eyeing the knife with amusement as she entered his appartment. He put he knife back.

"So you're a burglar, that's your secret?", he countered and tried to make his smirk not look too happy. She didn't have to know about this rush of energy he got when looking at her. He didn't even know what it was himself. "How does a 16 year old girl know how to open locks?", he wondered.

"You say that like I'm a baby", she said, avoiding the question. He thought about her this morning on the couch and how that certainly wasn't the case. She was nothing like a baby. But looking at her now he saw that her chest was entirely flat. Like she wrapped them up. His curiosity was burning again.

"What have you been up to today?", he asked, trying to sound casual as he sat down and started to scroll through social media on his phone like he wasn't really interested.

"I've been.. looking for someone", she said and he was pathetically overjoyed that she'd at least given him som sort of answer.

His phone buzzed. _Meet up at flea bottom 10 pm?_ It was from Lommy. He glanced up at Arya. He shouldn't bring her, she was under age. But a small yet loud part of him was worried she was going to leave again, and who knows what would happen to her at night, and in this neighborhood..

"Hey, you wanna go to this bar tonight? A friend of mine wants to meet", he said and she gave him the biggest grin he'd ever seen on her face. Something fluttered inside. Definitely not butteflies.

"Count me in" she said simply. He grinned as well.

"Why would someone name a bar Flea Bottom?", Arya asked as they entered the cramped, sultry place and made their way to a small table in the far corner that Gendry had spotted.

"I heard the owner named it as a joke, but then it started to stick with people", Gendry laughed as they sat down. He saw Lommy and waved but he had his arm wrapped around some girl and Gendry knew he probably wouldn't see his friend tonight. They should leave. Even though nobody here would care she wasn't really supposed to be here, he couldn't help but feel like he should. But fuck it, he wanted to stay and he wanted her to stay.

"I'm getting something to drink, stay here", he said and had to lean in close for her to hear.

He got his beer and turned back towards the table to see it empty again.

"I'll have the same", he heard behind him and he wondered why he was surprised.

"You said you wouldn't drink!", Gendry reminded her. He'd made her promise before they'd left.

"There's nothing better to do here", she said like it cleared everything up. He sighed and followed her back to their table. After a few sips of ale he stopped glaring disapprovingly her way.

"Where's your friend?", Arya asked.

"Off with some girl", Gendry laughed. "Probably for the best anyway, otherwise you would have had to put up with his sad flirting all night", he continued.

"Did you tell him about me?", she asked angrily.

"I said your name was Arya..", he admitted, saw the look on her face and added "but he was bound to notice anyway!"

"Look at me, there's nothing here!", she said and gestured towards her, at the moment, non-existant breasts. "You're the only one insisting I'm a girl!", she exclaimed with a giggle. Arya giggled?

"That's because I know what's under there", he smirked and stopped when he saw the shocked look on her face. "No! I didn't mean.. I just saw you sleeping this morning is all and your tit, I mean breast was.. christ, you were covered all right? But I just.. I noticed, is all", he rambled, feeling like he should shut up but somehow never did. She put her and over his that was jumping nervously to the rythm of his words. It stopped under hers.

"S'alright, I get it", she said with another giggle. He wanted to hear more where that came from.

"I'd flirt with you if I was him", he said after a few more gulps of beer. She still held her hand over his and he might be imagining it, but he felt like it was getting warmer. He was getting warmer himself.

"I'm getting another one" Arya said and leaned in to tell him. Her breath tickled his ear. He wanted to tickle her, but she got up and headed to the bar. She's under age you idiot, he reminded himself.

"Gendry, m'boy!", Lommy's voice yelled in his ear and was followed by his lanky body, sliding in next to Gendry.

"Thought you were getting layed", Gendry laughed at him.

"Oh I am, mate, I am", he said, all wide eyed and serious.

"Well clearly not" Gendry said pointing the obvious out.

"Shut up and listen, wanker. So, this girl Melissa wants to have a threesome, yeah? I told her I'd go get my mate. So, this is me getting my mate. Don't screw this for me, alright? I'll do anything if you do this for me", Lommy begged him in a low voice.

"This your friend?", Arya said, a bottle of beer in her hands. She took the seat opposite them.

"Yeah", Gendry replied. "Lommy, Arya. Arya, Lommy", he introduced them. They shook hands and then Lommy just turned to stare at Gendry again. Arya looked confused. He was elbowed by Lommy and tore his gaze from her to ask him what the fuck he was acting like an idiot for.

"Here she comes.. please mate", Lommy begged and nodded to the left. A tall redhead with amazing figure was approaching them slowly as though she enjoyed them watching her come closer. Almost like a cat. Arya was watching her as well.

"I don't like her", she said. Lommy laughed.

"That's because you're a girl", he smirked in a way that made Gendry laugh. Lommy always could make him laugh, that's probably why he continued to put with him.

"Well?", was all Melissa said and her gaze rested on Lommy but then slid over to Gendry and stayed there.

"We're coming", Lommy replied and got up so fast Gendry had to hold back another laughter. He looked back at Gendry who didn't have it in him to break his best friends heart. And it wasn't like he could have what he wanted anyway. He nodded and made his way to the edge of his seat. Lommy and Melissa headed towards the exit. Gendry turned to Arya. Her face was stone again.

"Look, Arya.. I don't have to.." he began.

"Go", she said with a voice sharp as a knife.

"Arya, I..", he began again.

"Just go okay? You're not my fucking father, just leave!", she yelled at him so that people nearby started to stare.

"Fine", he said quietly and got up. He looked back at their table when he caught up with Lommy and Melissa by the door, but it was empty once again.

...

Arya never saw herself as the type of girl who would cry in a public bathroom over a guy. Even standing in front of the broad mirror, grabbing tissue after tissue while girls who came out of the stalls to wash their hands stared sympathetically at her, she didn't see herself as that type of girl. Something surreal was happening and she had to find the real again, the normal.

She ran back to his place. She had to get her things, to get out of there. There was no time to waist. The fucker might finish quickly and decide to get back early but she'd make sure she was gone by the time he got back. She never wanted to see his ugly face again. She'd had enough of his silly smiles, his lazy stubble that he couldn't be bothered to shave or those gross blue eyes. The eyes were the absolute worst. And she'd vomit if she ever heard him laugh again. Wanker.

Picking the lock again was a piece of cake. Going inside was not. He'd be everywhere on the other side of that door. His couch where they'd spent the entire evening yesterday, mostly in silence but in the most comfortable silence Arya had ever experienced with someone. His iron shapes that hung on the walls that she strongly suspected he'd done himself since he'd told her he worked in an iron shop. His tiny kitchen with the tiny fridge that had nothing but cheese and butter in it, because "grilled cheese sandwiches is the only food you need". God, when did she become so fucking sentimental? She wiped her tears for the hundredth time, and went inside.

He sat in the middle of the couch and turned to look at her as she shut the door.

"Hi", he said. She wanted to run to him and bash her fists against his chest repeatedly, until he wept as she had. She wanted to scream at him. Tell him to fuck off. But "hi" was all she said.

"Lommy drove me here. Maybe he managed to seal the deal anyway but.. ", he stopped when she managed to get across that his words wasn't helping the situation. She continued to glare at him some.

"I already told you, you're not my dad. Just go and have your threesome, what do I care? Fuck off", she said in a quiet, unnaffected manner. Inside, she was yelling at him.

"I don't want to", was all he said.

"It's what every guy wants. To fuck", she said with the same disinterested voice.

"Well, _she's_ not the one I want to fuck", he said stubbornly and bore his eyes into hers before looking away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to.."

"Then why'd you go with her?", she demanded, not wanting to give this new tingling current in her body any footing. It needed to go away.

"Because you're under age, idiot!", he said and met her gaze again. His eyes were wide, exasperated. She got the strangest urge to laugh. Everything jus felt so surreal tonight.

"So, it's because some law says you can't touch me?", she asked and couldn't help but giggle at the end.

"Why are you laughing?", he asked, annoyed.

"Because", she said and went to sit next to him on the couch, "you're the idiot!" She giggled some more. A smile grew on his lips as he sat there listening to her laughter.

"You're not going to touch me because of the law? The same law that says I have to be in the foster system until I'm 18, as well? That thinks it can just decide my life like I don't even have a say in it? Fuck the law" she said and straddled his lap. She'd just shared something major with him, she realised. But she didn't really care any longer. Maybe it was the beer. She hoped it was. His hands grabbed her thighs and slid up to settle on her waist.

"Do you want me to fuck _you_?", he almost whispered. She nodded. She did, she really did.

He leaned forward, his eyes on hers until their noses touched and he closed them. She did as well. He pecked her softly on the lips. It turned her insides to jelly. Then he shoved his tounge inside and they became fire instead. She tugged impatiently at his shirt. He groaned. His hand left her waist, then came down hard on her ass, a smacking noice echoing throughout the room. Her eyes popped open and she let out a loud gasp. Suddenly she was swimming in blue irises again, that were searching her face with worry in them. She smashed her face into his again to tell him to do it again. He did. She couldn't help the moan that escaped her.

His hands grabbed the edges of the thick black hoody she was wearing and threw it off her like it was on flames. Then he put his fingers on the thick white bindings she had wrapped around her chest and undid it slowly, each lap around her feeling like an eternity. Her breats finally came free and she started to blush as he stared at them and reached out to touch them softly. Then more firmly. Another moan fell from her lips and her hips ground against his impatiently. She felt him through the fabric and for the first time she knew what it was like to actually want someone. As though she was missing a piece of herself that she wouldn't be able to live without.

Her hands went to his zipper. She dove through the opening and crawled down his underwear to take him in a firm grasp.

"Fuck me.. now", she leaned over to whisper in his ear. He threw her off him and she was thoroughly confused before he tugged her pants down in a flash and dragged her back up. She pulled on his jeans and managed to get them to his knees before her impatience got the best of her and she positioned herself on top of him, in the perfect spot to start to slide down..

"Shit.. condom", Gendry mumbled and hurried off to his bedroom. She felt naked on the couch. That's because you are, stupid, she thought. She pulled her knees up to her chin and put her arms around them, wishing she could get dressed again. Well, she could but it would be hard for him to fuck her then, wouldn't it?

"You okay?", Gendry asked when he returned. He was wearing nothing but his boxers. Yes, getting dressed was indeed a stupid idea.

"Yeah", she said. He sat down next to her and leaned in for a kiss.

"You know we don't have to, right?", he said gently. He was looking at her rigid figure with arms wrapped around her petite frame.

"I want to", she insisted, her body longing for him, begging her to close the distance between them.

"But.. maybe if you'd just close your eyes?" she asked. He looked like he was about to laugh.

"Why on earth would I do that?", he demanded. She shrugged. Didn't really know how to explain it. Didn't really want him to know she was actually a girl with actual feelings. He put his hands on her elbows and calmly began to stroke them up and down her arms.

"You're gorgeous, you know that, right?", he told her with a smirk. She tried not to smile.

"I know", she replied and tried to sound cocky. He didn't look like he was buying it. Wanker.

"Arya, I just want to be all over your body all at once.. it's more than gorgeous, it's..", he tried to explain. She didn't let him finish the sentence anyway. She was on top of him again, lips on his and hands on his hips, sliding his underwear down. He groaned deep in his throat and reached for the condom beside him. She was taking him inside her before he'd pulled it all the way down. They were a song of heavy breaths as she slid all the way down.

Riding Gendry was like searching for a treasure at the same time as she'd already found it. She purred like a happy kitten at the feel of him and dove inte his mouth to lick his tongue. He slapped her bottom again. She kissed him harder.

The world spun suddenly and he was on top of her instead. He was everywhere, his touch on her skin, his breath on her mouth, his sweat on hers, so that it could only be referred to as _their_ sweat. He was as gentle with her mouth as he was not with her hips when she let out a cry of happyness and he gave a final thrust.

And stilled inside her.

...

Gendry was having sex with Arya all day, the next day. He saw her in his mind, over him, under him, around him as he was working in the shop. Leaving her warm, naked body asleep in his bed this morning couldn't be described as anything less than torture. He'd planted a kiss on her forhead and pushed her hair to the side so that he could see her face properly before he'd gotten up. He thought about that face now, as he finally could go home for the day. It was his turn to close up the shop today, so he checked that the lights were off, put every tool where it was supposed to be and locked up.

He turned around and her face was right in front him. His first thought was that he'd gone mad but he felt her tongue on his lips a second later and his imagination just couldn't be that good. He spinned them so that she was pressed between him and the door he'd just locked. His hand cupped her cheek and then slid down her throat to land by the side of her right breast. She was wearing her bindings again and he tugged a little at it trough her shirt, missing the soft swell under it. Her kisses stopped and she took a step back.

"Just remembered your boss mentioned this wasn't a hotel", she said with a smirk that didn't reach her eyes and started to walk. He assumed that she counted on him to follow and fell into step beside her. He suddenly remembered something from last night, apart from what had been on repeat the majority of the day.

"So.. you're a foster kid?", he asked gently.

"I am", she admitted though sounding resigned.

"That makes two of us. Well, at least I was", he told her. She stopped and turned to him.

"What?" she said, her eyes impossibly wide.

"Yeah, I moved out as soon as I turned eighteen. Slept on the streets a few nights before Micken found me", he explained. "My boss", he added to clarify. She turned her gaze to the ground like she she was keeping an eye on some trail they were following.

"Oh", she said almost disinterested.

"So, will you tell me your story now?", he probed.

"Well, it's obvious isn't it? Runaway kid who hates her foster family. There you have it", she muttered.

"But why? Did something happen?", Gendry asked to get her to keep talking. He wanted to know everything about her.

"No, nothing", was all she said. They continued to walk in silence. Then Gendry grabbed her wrist, the one without the bandage, and made her stop. She finally looked at him, even if it was only to shoot daggers at him.

"Tell me", he begged her.

"Why?", she asked and there was an urgency behind the word.

"Because I want to know you. Because I like you", Gendry said in a low voice.

"Liar. Nobody _likes_ me. You just like to fuck me like everyone else", she snapped and snatched her hand back. She continued her steps and he followed in silence. He didn't know how to make her understand how he was starting to feel about her. Soon they were at his front door. He opened it for them.

When she stepped inside he closed the door and then he gently grabbed her shoulders and walked her backwards until she stood against the wall.

"So, I only want to fuck you?", he asked in the same low voice.

"Yes", she said stubbornly. He cupped her cheeks and leaned in to kiss her. He let his tounge glide over her lower lip before he squeezed it between both of his like he couldn't get close enough to it. He couldn't.

"You're just a piece of meat to me?", he asked. She said nothing. He licked at her throat.

"Someone to suck my dick?", he continued and got on his knees in front of her. He pulled her zipper down and she looked at him confused, like she had no idea what to expect.

"Well, you're wrong", he said as he pulled her black jeans down and pressed his mouth to her core. She let out a shaky breath.

He licked at her center, drawing the alphabet, like he'd heard was supposed to do the trick. And it did seem as though she thought it did. She was panting now and he could hear her fingers crawl on the wall behind her. He sped up his heart was beating to the rythm of her breathing.

Her cry was loud and almost surprised as she came. He kept his tongue on her as he could feel her pulsate againt him. When he got up he leaned against the wall beside her, listening to her slowing breath. She turned towards him, a faint smile on her lips and a dazed look in her eyes.

"Fine", she said simply and stalked off to the livingroom. He followed.

They ate grilled cheese sandwiches and watched some random sitcom on his ancient, tiny television. Her feet were in his lap.

"That was way too corny, by the way", she giggled.

"You know, you really shouldn't insult people that are bigger than you", he said with fake seriousness. She stuck her tongue out.

"Everyone's bigger than me", she said and shrugged innocently. He laughed. There was a pretty big possibility that he loved her.

"So will you tell me now?", he asked and knew she knew what he meant. She sighed.

"Nothing happened, like I said. Not exactly, anyway" she said quietly

"Oh thanks, it's all cleared up now", he jested.

"I've moved around a lot since my parents died. Bounced between homes. And this one was just like all of them. I was the help, I was" _you_ " or " _girl_ ", I was no one. And I tried being no one, I really did. But I just got sick of it, is all.", she said. He put his plate down and began stroking her feet. They were cold.

"I get it", he mumbled. Their eyes met and he could see his own story staring back at him.

"So why'd you come here? You said you were looking for someone?", he added, remembering her words from yesterday.

"My sister. Sansa. She got placed in a home near here. In the fancy part of town, of course", she muttered. "You'd get it if you knew her", Arya added when she saw his confusion.

"Have you found her?", he wondered. She sat in silence for a while.

"Yeah. Today. I don't know what I expected, really. That she'd come with me and that we'd be on the run together? I knew she'd never do that. But this was the only place I thought of coming." Her voice was smooth, unmoving, like she was telling someone else's story. But Gendry knew better by now. "At least she didn't tell me to go back. She said she'd apply for custody over me and my brothers when she turns eighteen next year", she continued.

"Your brothers?", Gendry probed.

"Bran and Rickon. There's Jon as well but he's not in the system.. he's a sniper in the military. I don't really know where he is", she told him.

"Why?", he wanted to know. She took a deep, shuddering breath.

"We used to get letters but there's been so many adresses over the years that I don't even know which one he has now", she whispered.

"But why doesn't he get custody over you?" Gendry asked.

"He can't just leave, he'd be a deserter", she said, like he was stupid. He didn't really care at the moment.

"I'm sorry", he said and squeezed her toes. She giggled suddenly.

"Stop that, it tickles!" she yelled. He laughed at her.

"Okay, so what's with the boy thing, then?", he had to know.

"I just thought it'd be harder for them to find me like this. They're not looking for a boy, are they?", she said and shrugged.

"And the sword?" he pressed.

"Jon gave it to me. He nicked it from some fancy generals house or whatever", she said and smiled at the memory.

"What, why?", Gendry inquired.

"Just wanted to give me a proper parting gift", she shrugged.

He wanted to make her giggle again so he started playing with her toes once more.

"Fuck off!", she managed to get out between laughter.

"Never", he sniggered and squeezed harder.

...

Arya was happy. She lay against Gendry's naked chest with his arms around her in bed. The sun was peeping in through the window with a soft glow. She snuggled closer to him and his arms hugged her more tightly. All around her she could feel his scent and took another deep breath just for the sake of it. She also tried her best not to think of the fact that she was terrified and failed completely.

She stared at his sleeping face knowing that she might love this boy. _So you better not leave, bastard,_ she thought. If only she'd known he was so damn likeable from the start. But he'd krept up on her. She pressed a wet kiss to his chest and was grateful that he wasn't awake to see it.

He stirred and she closed her eyes. It wasn't her ambition to become the lovestruck sucker who watched people sleep. At least not to be known as it. She felt his lips on the tip of her nose and tried her best not to smile.

"Knew you were awake", he said smugly when she failed.

"Bastard", she said, but hugged him closer to her. He leaned in to poke his tongue in her mouth and she greeted it eagerly with her own.

"Don't you have to go to work?", she asked him, realising it must be midday from the way the sun was shining too brightly through her eyelids.

"It's saturday", he said cheerfully and bent to kiss her again.

"Wait", she told him. She remembered being on the verge to ask him something last night before he did something similar. "Why were you in the system?", she asked. Gendry sighed.

"Not a very complicated story. My mum died when I was little. Neved had a dad. You get the picture", he said like it didn't really matter. It did to her.

"Do you remember your mum?", she wanted to know.

"Not much. She sang to me. She had yellow hair.. I don't remember how she died", he told her. "How did your parents die?", he asked, in an entirely different manner. She sort of set herself up for that one, didn't she?

"Car accident. My oldest brother Robb was there as well", she added, not wanting to leave him out as though she'd forgotten about him. He placed a kiss on her forhead.

"I'm sorry", he said in a low voice. She just shrugged, not wanting to talk about it anymore. She actually had to get out out of there. His arms were too hot around her, her body too sticky. She just wanted to be alone.

"I'm going for a walk", she mumbled and sat up to reach her clothes on the chair nearby.

"You okay?", she heard behind her. He was concerned about her. She needed him no to care.

"Super", she turned to him and and forced a smile before she stood to zip her jeans up. He reached for her wrist.

"Arya", he said. She snapped her wrist back.

"I'm fine okay? Just stop giving a damn!", she yelled. She didn't look back as she left the bedroom and strode towards the hallway. He didn't come after her. She shut the door quietly behind her.

She didn't really know where to go so she just wandered around the city. She didn't really know what was wrong with her, either. His face was just too pretty, his voice too soothing. He made her too happy. Arya wasn't the sort of person who had the luxury of being happy. It was something that she'd accepted a long time ago. She'd learned to work around it. Being around him just made her..restless, like there was something bad coming for her, but she had no idea what. So she had no idea how to prepare either. Waiting was all she could do. She found herself missing being no one. No one waited for nothing.

"Arya Stark?" No. She'd imagined that voice. It wasn't real. She kept staring at the doves that romed the street, from her bench beside it. She wouldn't turn around.

"Arya, you're coming with me now. We're going home", the voice continued. Arya closed her eyes. Okay, fine, her social worker was here. She wanted to laugh at his words. Home? Where the fuck was that? Her family was dead and the ones that remained were shattered all over the country.

"I'm not going with you", was all Arya said as she turned around to face him. Bill looked as dull as she'd remembered with his shirt neatly tucked inside his trousers and the gray blazer on top of it.

"You are, young lady", he said sternly. Arya wanted to laugh. Young lady?

"I'm not, and I'm not a lady", she said before she did the only thing she could think of. She ran. Bill was fat, he wouldn't be able to catch up with her that fast, would he? Well, even if he would, that didn't stop her from sprinting as fast as her legs could possibly carry her.

"Arya, what the hell?", Gendry exclaimed as she burst through his door, panting, clutching her knees like she couldn't stand up straight. She said nothing. There was no time to explain, she had to go. She'd managed to escape this time, but he knew that she was in this city now, he'd come back. She grabbed her clothes, scattered around his place and shoved them inside her backback.

"Arya, for fuck's sake!", he said sharply and grabbed her by the elbow. She met his gaze and expected to see anger there. She wanted him to be angry, it would be easier that way. But there was only hurt. Fuck.

"I need to leave, now. That's just how it is", she said in that soft, calm voice that spoke for her when she couldn't.

"That's not how it is!", he shouted at her. He took her other elbow and made her drop her belongings. His mouth was hot and greedy on hers and she couldn't help but kiss him back. This was it, she knew. This was the thing that had always been coming to take him away from her. It was almost as much of a relief as it was a sorrow, to be done with it. So she licked at his mouth, his teeth, his lips and prayed she'd never have to stop. She was falling in love with this stupid bastard.

"It's you and me, that's how it is", he whispered and pressed her forhead to hers. She was panting, but so was he.

"I have to go", was all she said.

"Why?", he asked and his eyes bore into hers like he wouldn't let them go until she told him. Fuck it.

"My social worker found me", she told him.

"Shit", he said and took a step back. She wished she hadn't said anything. It was completely irrational, but it hurt like hell to tell him and have him accept that she needed to leave. To see him let her go before she was even out of the door.

"Yeah, shit", she agreed. Shit, indeed.

"You know, I'm good at packing light. just give me fifteen, alright?", he said very casually like he hadn't just offered to run away with her.

"What?", she whispered.

"Don't look so shocked, do you take me for a diva? I swear I only need one bag", he said through a smirk.

"You can't", she said and it physically hurt her to do so. But it would all go to shit eventually, anyway. That's just how it was.

"I want to", was all he said as he left to gather his things. She followed him.

"Gendry, stop", she told him fiercely. This was even scarier than leaving him. Leaving _with_ him, so that when he left her she'd have nothing to blame but herself. No. She had to leave now.

"You're not coming with me", she tried desperately to sound superior, unmoving but that version of her wouldn't come.

"Why?", he asked as he continued to pack his things.

"Because..", she didn't think he'd believe her if she lied. The bastard could read her like no one else could. "You'll leave me eventually anyway. It's better like this", she mumbled, feeling like a pathetic little girl.

He stopped for a second and looked at her. "You're really stupid you know that? How's it better like this? I'm not going to throw you away because perhaps, sometime in the far off future we'll maybe not be together. Man up, for fuck's sake", he told her. She held back a laughter, because it didn't seem like the right moment to let it out.

"But you have a life here", she said faintly.

"As far as I know this isn't the only place on earth where i can forge", he said like she was stupid. She felt her face begin to form a smile. She tried to stop it. It ignored her. He looked at her and a grin appeared on his own face.

"It's you and me, yeah?", he said.

"Yeah", she agreed.

 **.**

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 **Thank you so much for reading you guys! This was my very first AU ever and I'm feeling a bit nervous about it tbh. But I hoped you enjoyed it, that you felt like you were reading about the characters that you know and love and that the story was true to them. Rate and Review of you want to make me happy:)**


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